


When Christmas Comes to Town

by saccarines (orphan_account)



Series: Christmas/Holiday Fic 2013 [4]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 23:17:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1099723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/saccarines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim was fairly sure his cheeks were going to freeze solid, with the way the cold was batting against them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Christmas Comes to Town

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vampykitty_kun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampykitty_kun/gifts).



> New 52 (?) AU where Lian is alive and everything is like the preboot except the Outlaws are a thing :3

Tim was fairly sure his cheeks were going to freeze solid, with the way the cold was batting against them. They were probably bright red, or pink, not at all protected from the winter chill of the night. His nose didn’t feel like it was attached to the face, and even with the (ridiculously) fuzzy socks he was wearing (that no one would ever be finding out about), his toes were curled in his boots.

 _At least_ , he allowed himself the thought, _it wasn’t patrol_. Bruce, for some reason that might have started with _S_ and ended with _elina_ , had decided to forgo Christmas Eve patrol for the first time since…well, since Tim had been Robin. The traditional had been ingrained, though, hence why Tim was still out on the streets, bundled up in a nice winter coat and hat, fingers not-very-warmed by gloves, a Styrofoam cup of vendor-grade hot chocolate in his hands.

Dick was up ahead, wrapping a thick, soft scarf around Damian’s neck, despite the angered huff about how he required no such thing because of his superior genealogy or something else that Tim didn’t really care about – did the holidays make him cynical? Just a bit. Watching them was exhausting, really. They weren’t Batman and Robin anymore, but they still acted like it. They still revolved around each other with practiced ease, like a well-oiled machine, or more accurately, Damian was drawn to Dick like Dick was the sun itself. Tim would have rolled his eyes, if he hadn’t used to think like that himself.

“ _God_ , they’re exhausting.”

Tim took a sip from his drink, humming indistinctly. He evaded the jostling elbow aimed at his shoulder, despite its innocent nature, the drink still attached to his lips.

“Has anyone told them they should get a room already? _Fuck_.”

“Do you want exact numbers?” Tim quipped, glancing at Jason, eyebrow quirked.

Jason snorted, shoving his hands in his pockets, “and they haven’t _listened_?”

“Dick gets awkward, and somber. Damian just glares.”

“Sounds about right,” Jason snorted. “Why are we walking around tonight, again? In the fucking _snow_?”

Tim glanced around, taking in the scenery. It was a silent night in Gotham, unsurprisingly. They were the only people on this particular block, accompanied by the soft sound of the snow falling to the road and melting, only piling up on the bits of grass between the sidewalks, and by the corners of the buildings – all closed for the holidays. “It’s not as bad as last year.”

Last year, Freeze had made Gotham a literal Winter Horrorland, complete with evil Snowmen and reindeer, so anyone would be hard-pressed to disagree.

“ _God_ , it’s _cold_.” Jason growled, swaying in place. “Why did I agree to this?”

“You were beguiled by the promise of Christmas-themed frosted sugar cookies, and eggnog.”

“Ah. That would explain it.” Jason rocked his shoulders, upsetting his scarf. Up close, Jason’s cheeks were dusted pink from the cold, breath frosting before him like smoke. His lips were chapped, and his tongue kept darting out to wet them, but his eyes were lit and the corners of his mouth weren’t turned downward.

“I’m surprised you aren’t spending the holiday with your team,” Tim admitted.

“Thought about it,” Jason shrugged. “Roy and Lian are spending the night at Dinah’s, and Kory is up at Titans Tower.”

Tim nodded, taking another sip of his drink. He didn’t feel the need to say anything else, and Jason didn’t appear to either. They fell into comfortable silence, watching as Dick crouched down beside one of the buildings, gathering snow in his hands. Damian said something to him, clearly in warning, backing away towards the street.

“If he throws that snow, I’m out. Cookies be damned.”

Tim snorted, “I’ll be right behind you. I have no intention of getting caught in a snow fight.”

“Wet, freezing snow melting down your shirt isn’t your thing?”

“Or my _face_ ,” Tim mused.

“He goes for headshots?” Jason tsked, shaking his head. “Cruel and unusual, that one.”

Tim snorted, rubbing his thumbs on the sides of his cup. “Only during the winter.”

“Pretty sure he’s unusual during all four seasons.” Jason cupped his hands around his mouth, breathing hot air over them. “Is your cup still hot?”

“It is, and it’s mine.”

“Don’t be stingy. Share the warmth.”

Tim held his cup closer to his chest, “This warmth cost me a dollar fifty.”

“You’re a trust fund baby, _and_ you’re Bruce Wayne’s legally adopted son. You can spare a buck fifty.”

“If-”

Jason snatched the cup from Tim’s hands, holding it out of his reach and taking a long drink. He grimaced, swallowing thickly. “That’s disgusting.”

“…you’re _sure_.” Tim shook his head. “It’s from a street vendor on Christmas Eve, what do you expect?”

 “Hell, _I_ make better cocoa than _that_.” Jason eyed the cup for a moment, finally tossing it behind them.

Tim frowned, shoving his hands in his coat pockets, “I hope that’s an offer, because I _was_ drinking that.”

“Sure,” Jason snorted, “if you’re willing to give up cookies and eggnog.”

Tim stared.

“What?”

“The way you said egg-”

“Don’t even. Are you coming or not?”

“What, right now?”

Jason jerked his head in the direction of the duo before them. Dick was still compacting snow in his hands, saying something to Damian with a grin that looked like it was splitting his face. He looked two steps from throwing the snow in his hand, and it was clear by the expression on Damian’s face that he knew it. “Unless you want to get dragged into that.”

Tim frowned, taking a step back. “I will not be involved in Snow War III.”

“Really? Snow War III? I expected more from you, Tim.”

Tim shot him a look, rolling his eyes. He turned his eyes forward again, folding his arms. “You really think your cocoa is that good?”

“Princess,” Jason slung an arm around Tim’s shoulders, pressing cold lips to his cheek, “I make the best damn cocoa on this side of Gotham.”

 


End file.
